Process for the production of plate glass blanks



.1. DRAKE 1,818,206

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PLATE GLASS BLANKS Aug. 11, 1931.

Filed July 20, 1928 Ill ueufo'r, Jbhn LDm/(e Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN Luann, or TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO mnEY-ownus-ronn cuss column,

or TOLEDO, omoga doarona'nou or onro v raocnss r03 rim rnon ucrronor PLATE GLASS Bmnxs Application filed July 80,

This invention relates generally to the pro ten glass to a sheet or blank of substantially 10 flowed or poured from a pot or ladle 'rectly predetermined dimensions.

In accordance with one process sometimes practicediu the production of plate glass blanks, a mass or charge of molten lass is upon the top of a rolling table in front of a large metallic roller or cylinder arranged thereabove. The roller is then moved over the table or the table moved beneath the roller to reduce the supply of molten glass to a sheet or blank of substantially predeter- ,mined dimensions. Ordinarily, during the pouring of the charge of molten glass from the ladle or pot onto the table, the said ladle or pot is moved transversely across the table.

to teem the glass.

The aim of the present invention is the provision of an improved process of and apparatus for flowing the molten glass upon the rolling table in front of the roller or cylinder in such a manner that the glass will not only be more uniformly distributed upon the'table than heretofore but will also be of a more uniform temperature throughout the width thereof when acted upon by the said roller or cylinder to the end that a sheet or blank of improved quality may be produced. Another object of the invention is the provision of such a-process and apparatus for the production of plate glass blanks wherein a supply of molten glass initially deposited within a receptacle or receiver is flowed therefrom in stream form upon the rolling table in front of the roller, the table being simultaneously moved forwardly to carry'the glass as it flows from said receptacle beneath said roller with the result that the glasswill be rolled to sheet form almost as soon as it contacts with the table so that the length of time the glass is upon the table before being acted upon is reduced and undue chilling of the glass prior to the rolling thereof thereby avoided. a

A further object of the invention is the provision of such an improved process and 1928, Serial No. 294,073.v

that it may be of a substantially uniform temperature when deposited upon the table.

Other objects and advantages of'the invention will become more-apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings formin a part of this application and wherein li e numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

Fig. 2 isa plan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral ,10 designates the rolling table which is usually in the form of a single slab of sulficient sizeto accommodate the largest sheet or blank which is to be rolled, said table being mounted upon wheels 11 running upon tracks or rails 12. Arranged above the plane of the table 10 is a forming roller or cylinder 13. journaled at its opposite ends in suitable fixed supports 14, said roller being prefer- I ably provided with a central bore 15 through which may be circulated a suitable temperature control medium if desired.

The table 10 carries upon its undcrsurface a longitudinally extending rack 16 with which meshes a drive gear 17 keyed to a drive shaft 18 and upon rotation of the said gear 17, the table may be moved in the desired direction beneath thevforming roller. Secured upon the upper surface of the table, at the op posite edges thereof, are the longitudinally extending racks 19 with which mesh gears 20 carried at the opposite ends of roller 13 so able metal and being internally heated by means of burners or the like 22. This receptacle extends transversely substantially the entire width of the table and is provided at its oppositeends with trunnions or pintles 23 ournaled in fixed bearings 24 so that said receptacle may be tilted or rocked upon said trunnions to cause the molten glass contained therein to flow therefrom over the overflowlip 25 onto the table. The rocking or tilting 0 the receptacle may be accomplished by means of a cable 26 or inany other suitable manner as preferred.

In operation, the supply'of molten lass to be reduced to sheet form is adapte to-be initially introduced or deposited within the receptacle or receiver 21 and this glass may have been previously melted and refined within a suitable t or pots 27 or in any suitable type of urnace. When so-called pot glass 18 used, however, the molten glass is poured directly from the pot into the receptacle the glass being preferably teemed therein by moving the pot from one'end of the rece tacle to the other. Should the molten ass be produced in a tank furnace, a suitab e uantity thereof may be transferred into t e receptacle by theuse of ladles or the like.

During the pouring of the molten glass into the receptacle, the said receptacle is adapted to be maintained in a substantially horizontal position as indicated by the brokenlines in Fig. 1 so that the lass will not flow therefrom. After the molten glass has been deposited within the receptacle, the table 10 is moved to the left so that its forward or right hand end will be substantially directl beneath the overflow lip 25-of receptac e 21. The receptacle is then adapted to be rocked about the trunnions 23 to the tilted position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1 and it will be apparent that upon tilting of the receptacle, the molten glass will flow therefrom over the overflow lip 25 onto the table 10 in front of the roller '13. Since the receptacle extends substantially the entire width of the table, the stream of glass flowing therefrom will be of a width substantially equal to the width of said table.

As the glass is flowed upon the table, the said table is simultaneouslv moved forwardly to carry the said glass beneath the-roller 13 which cooperates with the table to reduce it to a sheet 28 of-.-'s ubstantially predetermineddimensions.- The table is moved to the "right until it passes from beneath the roller 13and intof theposition indicatedby the broken lines in Fig. 1." When in such'posit1on, the sheet 28 can be transferred or An auxiliary drive gear 31 is provided to also engage the rack 16 on the undersurface of the table to assist in the movement of said table to its sheet delivering position adjacent the leer 29 and back to its initial glass receiving position.

It is believed that by introducing the molten glass first into the receptacle 21 and then subsequently allowing it to flow therefrom upon the table in a'relatively wide stream,

the said glass can be more uniformly distributed across the entire widthiof the table? than heretofore. Also, as the glass is flowed from the receptacle onto the table it is. almost immediately carried beneath the roller 13 and it will be apparent that by the provision of such an arrangement the molten glass will not remain upon the table for any considerable length of time before it is reduced to sheet form so that there will be little opportunity for the glass to become unduly chilled prior to rolling. Moreover, since the receptacle is internally heated the moltenglass received therein may be maintained at a. substantially desired uniform temperature with the result that the glass flowin upon the table in front of the. roller will do of a substantially uniform temperature and these novel features will naturally result in the production of an improved quality of sheet.

While the table 10 has been described here inabove as bein movable beneath the rece tacle 21 and orming roller 13, it will be evident that the table may be held stationary and the receptacle 21 and roller 13 moved thereover as a unit. It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. The process of producing sheet glass or plate glass blanks, consisting in first meltmg and refining molten glass in a portable pot, in teeming the molten glass from the pot into a stationary receptacle by moving the said pot from one end of the receptacle to the other during the pouring of the molten glass ther'einto', tilting the receptacle to cause the molten glass-to flow therefrom in a neaaaoe 2. The process of profiucine slmi, glass on plate glass lolanks, consisting in first melting and refining molten glass in a ortable pot, in teeming the molten glass eke poi"; into a stationary receptacle by me the said pot from one end of the receptacle to the other during the pouring of the molten glass thereinto, tilting the receptacle to cause the molten glass to flow therefromin a rela- While in said receTpi-acle, subsequently flowing the glass from said receptacle in a relatively wide stream onto a movable surface, and in simulianeonsly moving sai l surface to carry the glass beneath a forming member.

Signecl at Toledlo, in the count of Lucas and State oi @hio, ehis 25th day 0 June 1928. 

